Isaac hodgson



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Letters Patent No. 78,966, dated June 16, V1868.

IMPROVEMENT CONSTRUCTION OF PRISONS.

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Beit known that I, ISAAC HODGSON, Vot Indianapolis, in the county otY Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Prisons; and I do herebyodeelare that the'followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereo`, rjet`ereuce being had to the accompanying drawing, and tothe letters of refer marked thereon, making part of this specification. v p

This invention relates to arrangement of the cells and interior of prisons, and tothe mode of securing the cell and other interior doors, combining superior arrangements for 4warming,lighting, and Ventilating with an improved mode of securing and manipulating the fastenings of. the cell-doors.

Figure l is a ground plan oftheY prison, the cells and'other interior portions of which are constructed and ence' arranged with reference to the application of'myimprovements, the'drawing representing a portion of the plan l Figure 2 is a section taken through the central corridor, close to the cells, and cutting one of' the hollow door-posts in the grating-enclosure surrounding the cells.

Figure 3 is a front'view. of" one of the hollow o r box-posts, showing part of the doors leading to the cellenclosure. Y

Figure 4 is a detail section of the cell-doors, showing the hinge and mode of fastening,

Figure 5 is a horizontal section of' the hollow door-post and portion ofthe door, showing the hasp situated at the entrance of the cell-euclosure. i

Figure 6 is avertical section of a portion of the box or wayfor the bolt-fastening, showing section ofthe eye and of the hasp ofthe cell-doorsgand a portionof the boltri'or securing the doors'.

Similar letters of, reference indicate-,like parts in the several igures.

A A are the exterior Walls oi the prison, of brick, stone, of the construction 'and arrangement of the interior, n'eed n usually built.

In the central portion ofthe space enclosed by the walls .A are theion cells B,.and surrounding the cells isa substantial iron grating, C, the whole being so arranged that sufficient-space for corridors is, left between the grating C and the outer walls, for the use of thejailor or guards and visitors, 'and between the grating and the cells for the use of the prisoners. The`exteriorrwalls are furnished with windows, vD, vfor lighting the interior,` and the ends of the cellstoward the exterior wall are made of' g'ratingfor 'the admission of light to the cellsA orvother suitable material, and which, on account otY be of the strength or cost of prison-wallsas The building'is warmed by furnaces placed in the basement, in the usual mannenth'e warmed. air being admitted to the prison-room through registers placed in the outside corridor, as shown at E. The doors vof the so that it may permeate every i Y the prison, iulorde'r to provide both for the Ventilation of theprison and to utilize the warmth of the escapingair to Warm lthe cell-floors.

The prison isventilate'd. by means of ducts, indicated by dotted'lincs, F, under the oor. Theseducts open into the space under the cells, and connect with a metal pipe, I, enclosed in the smokedlue, so that it may he heated to establish a draught, or the foul-air ducts may open into any` other Hue, whether heated or not, as may ough the perforated base Gr, fig. 2, under the cells,

It will be seen that this arrangement of the cells 'within the grated enclosure in the `central portion of the prison, provides great,securityr ugaint Aescape ofthe prisoners. The cells being isolated from the exterior wall,-

andY complete in themselves, aid to the prisoners from the outside is rendered more diilicult than when the cells adjoin theouter wall. Additional security is providedby the grating C that surrounds the cells, and in'tervenes Tasco between them and the outer wall. This construction and arrangement of the cells also affords superior advantages .for warming, lighting, and Ventilating them, and the arrangements for warming, lighting, andventilating, present no facilities for escape of the prisoners, as they are not permitted the use of the outer corridor in which the warm-air registersare placed, and theventilators are not accessible. Besides, the cells are exposed fully to view of the jailor or guard, and the outer ends, H, ofthe cells being open grating, for theadmission of light and warmed air, also expose the prisoners to convenient surveillance.

The device for securing thc ccll-doors, J, consists oi' the eye g of the hasp N of the door and the dropbolt O. '.llhedro'p-bolt is securely housed in a double-angle or U-iron, a, set vertically, andsecurcly riveted, near thevcdge of the doorway, tothe inside of the plate, constituting the inner or door-end of the cells, and forms a vertical tube or guide-way for thcbolt O, and safe housing for the cord eby which the bolt is suspended and operated. i I i The double-angle or L1-ironia, 'shown inred lines in iig. 2,' in horizontal section in iig. 4, and in vertical section in lig. 6, extends from the lioors ofthe cells up to and connects with the cord-way L above the ceiling of the prison.

. The cord-way L is a horizontal iron box, placed above the ceiling of the prison, to house and protect the cords eby which the bolts O O are suspended and operated. The cordserun over sheaves S in the cord-way those immediately over the hollow door-posts M being arranged asshown, and set nearly touching each other, to prevent the cords getting out ot' place.

The cordway is made with a shutter to cover the top, so as to afford convenient access to the cords' when required for repairs, land which at other times is to be securely fastened,'to prevent the cords being tampered with. AThe eye g of hasp N of the cell-doors is-of the same transverse dimensions as the angleiron a, and a piece is out out of the latter of sufficient length to let. the eye g shut neatly into the space, and should iit so asto form a connected tube with et witllout obstructions. This opening and the adjacent ends of the'angle-iron a are encased in a larger iron, b, that is'securely riveted to the cell-wall, and the wall is cut throughito allow theY eye g to shut into the space cut out of the angle-iron a., and fair with thccell-wall, over which, on the outside, a plate, cl, iig. 6, is riveted, to entirely cover the opening and protect the bolt O.. I i

' The cell-doors are fastened by iron bolts, O, suspended in theangleiron way a, andl operated by means of the cords c. rJhe door-posts M of the' grating-enclosure are made hollow, about eight inches square, or other convenient size, and extend from the prison-loor, and connectv with'the cord-ways L above the ceiling, and, with the cord-ways and tubes a, form a continuous and secure housingrfor'the cords e. l

A. screw-bolt, 9', is inserted through. the cell-wall from the outside, the end'projeeting into the vtube a to form a stop to the descent of the bolt O, and hold it in proper position in the eye g. This stop is made removable, so Athat in case the cords cbreak, thc stop can he taken out to let the bolt O'down tothe permanent stop/hi, vwhich is placed s'o that the upper end ofthe bolt will be opposite theiopening into which the cy'eg shuts, when the cord vmay be readily readjusted. This arrangement, in connection with the cord-way Lover the ceiling, a'ords convenient facility for repairing the cords, when broken, at triing cost. i

The doors, 'P, to the grating-enclosure are furnished with a hasp, 7c, the eyes of which en'ter a slot in the back of the posts M, and are secured by a padlock in the eye within the posts. The openings in the posts that afford access to these padloclts and to the cords c, are closed by shutters, B, that are hinged at the bottom to the posts, and aresecured by padlock through staples fixed in the posts that enter a slot in the top of the shutter, and the top s of the shutters are furnishedvwith a hood, V, to cover the padlocks and protect them from blows struck by persons attempting to eil'cct unlawful entrance.

The device for securing the cell-doorsis'operated from the opening in thc posts M by means of the cordsve, and enables the jailor to unfasten one or more of them at pleasure, and combined with the grated enclosure C,

enables him to have full command of the prisoners without coming in contact with them.

I'make no claim to any particular' mode of warming, lighting, or Ventilating the prison, as these may be varied as circumstances may require.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. The hollowl door-posts M, furnished with the hooded shutters R, the cord-ways L, and vertical tube or U-iron, a, substantially as set forth. A

2. Thehasp N and eye g, bolt o, and cords c, and stops r and z', constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ISAAC HODGSON.

Witnesses:

O. F. Maman', p LuoNrnAs BnAvEn. 

